September 27 Daily Devotional

Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22; John 18

The highest council of the Jews was called the Sanhedrin (Synedrium). It numbered 71 members, consisting of scribes, elders and priests, and the high priest was its chief officer. The council had rule over the religious and spiritual affairs of the Jews. The band, and the captains, and officers of the Jews which had taken Jesus, brought him to this spiritual court, assembled at this late hour in the city of Jerusalem. “The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogues, and in the temple whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which have heard me, what I have said unto them … And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by, struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?”

“Now, the chief priest, and elders, and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: for many bare false witness against him … At the last came two false witnesses, and said, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hand. But neither so did their witness agree. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless, I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of ‘man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

“Then the high priest rent his clothes, and said, He hath spoken blasphemy: what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy? What think ye? And they all condemned him, and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him. And the men that held him, mocked him, and smote him with the palms of their hands; they blindfolded him, and struck him on his face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is it that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.”

“And as soon as it was day the elders of the people, and the chief priests, and scribes took counsel against Jesus, to put him to death.” But they had no authority to inflict capital punishment without the sanction of the court of the Romans to whom the Jews at that time were subject. So they bound Jesus and led him to Pontius Pilate the governor.